Yearly Archives: 2020

Spotlight on the Digital Technology Supercluster

1. What is the mission and vision of the Digital Technology Supercluster?

The Digital Technology Supercluster solves some of industry’s and society’s biggest problems through Canadian-made technologies. We bring together private and public sector organizations of all sizes to address challenges facing Canada’s economic sectors including healthcare, natural resources, manufacturing and transportation. Through this ‘collaborative innovation’ the Supercluster helps to drive solutions better than any single organization could on its own.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

With the COVID-19 pandemic, now more than ever we are relying on our ability to prove our identity and key personal information remotely. Over the past six months, we have worked with dozens of organizations to develop and deploy cutting-edge digital and virtual health platforms. A critical requirement to ensure uptake of these developments is ensuring that Canadians feel they are in control of their personal data and have trust in the institutions and protocols we have created.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does the Digital Technology Supercluster address challenges associated with this transformation?

For the Digital Technology Supercluster, we see digital identity as a key component in the adoption of our many innovative technologies – whether it’s accessing remote addiction and mental health treatment for health care workers, or receiving post-surgical treatment from home. Without secure digital identity, Canada will be unable to continue developing innovative solutions like these. As a team, we strive to collaborate with companies (large and small), organizations and academic institutions to ensure that we are addressing digital security from all sides. Ensuring privacy and control of personal information is at the heart of what we do, and organizations like DIACC provide critical guidance on this front. 

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in the space?

Canada is already seen as a leader in the global economy. We are known for our transparency, ethical business practices and diverse resources. This foundation puts us on solid ground for not only contributing to the policy of digital identity, but alongside DIACC, leading the way on international interoperability in this space.

5. Why did the Digital Technology Supercluster join the DIACC?

We believe there is power in coming together towards a common goal, and that there is strength in bringing different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds to the table. To reach Canada’s full potential, it is critical that we leverage our diversity and unique strengths to share knowledge and expertise.

6. What else should we know about the Digital Technology Supercluster?

While we are located in Vancouver, British Columbia, our members span across the country, with 40 per cent of our 750+ membership in provinces outside of British Columbia. We are open to working with all types of organizations. By facilitating bold collaboration, we bring together companies of all sizes from a myriad of sectors within the tech ecosystem and tech-enabled companies from a variety of industries. This allows these organizations to tap into a network of knowledge and experience they would not otherwise have had access to.

Spotlight on ModoHR

1. What is the mission and vision of ModoHR?

ModoHR is a Canadian technology-driven business that provides modern solutions for the human resources industry. Our web application, ScreeningCanada™ was developed with the goal to empower Canadian organizations to remotely conduct background screening and digital identity verification. We help set the standard for Canadian privacy, compliance and data security; these unwavering principles provide Canadian organizations with compliant products and services that mitigate risk. 

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

Simply put, digital identity is the foundation of background screening. Without a candidate’s consent and identity verification, compliant and thorough background screening cannot take place. In addition, the emerging markets like on-demand delivery services and ride-sharing have further highlighted the need for speed in the background screening industry. We strongly believe that a trusted digital identity solution is critical in removing these obstacles and improving remote hiring.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does ModoHR address challenges associated with this transformation?

Digital identity will transform the Canadian and global economy by removing geographical barriers for individual job applicants. ModoHR is pioneering new identity verification solutions in the marketplace with tools that utilize credit file-based verification, live video verification and facial accreditation. Existing background screening processes have traditionally required face-to-face interaction with the hiring manager, or an in-person verification conducted by an authorized third party like Canada Post. ModoHR’s digital identity solutions remove barriers that previously existed for remote hiring. The process is compliant with federal and provincial physical distancing recommendations and approved by police services. This transformation will empower Canadians and organizations to increase diversity and inclusion by removing traditional remote hiring barriers.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in the space?

There is no question that Canada possesses the necessary knowledge and capabilities to be a leader in digital identity. Our national approach to privacy and compliance and the value we place on protecting personal information across all industries, is highly regarded around the world. In the coming months and years, Canadian provinces will need to work together to centralize, standardize and unilaterally protect personal information, and develop methods to securely utilize this information to verify identity.

Our competitors in this space are already operating on the global stage; Canada must move quickly to share resources, seek federal support and ensure that our sovereign interests will not be negatively influenced by the standards set by other nations. More importantly, we need to lead this charge to develop processes and platforms that are truly Canadian.

5. Why did ModoHR join the DIACC?

ModoHR Technologies joined DIACC to share our knowledge and experience relating to the important topic of digital identity, compliance, risk mitigation and global regulatory challenges.  We believe that together, Canadian organizations can not only improve processes for Canadians but remain at the cutting edge of policy development globally. We look forward to networking and sharing knowledge with other DIACC members.  

6. What else should we know about ModoHR?

ModoHR is owned by background screening and risk mitigation industry experts. Our executive team founded the pre-employment industry in Canada 20 years ago and built the largest risk mitigation firm in Canada. These subject matter experts came together to collaborate, re-imagine and empower Human Resources with technology that ensures privacy, security and streamlines processes for organizations and individuals alike. Our drive and enthusiasm is reflected in every new risk mitigation product or service that we create. In summary – we build what’s next™. 

Newly Launched Digital ID Framework to Begin Testing in Canada

Governments and Businesses to Begin Testing Across Canada

TORONTO, September 15, 2020 – The Digital ID & Authentication Council of Canada (“DIACC”) today announced the launch of the Pan-Canadian Trust FrameworkTM (“PCTF”), a set of digital ID and authentication industry standards that will define how digital ID will roll out across Canada. Its launch marks the shift from the framework’s development into official operation and will begin alpha testing by public and private sector members in Canada. The alpha testing will inform the launch of DIACC’s PCTF Voila Verified Trustmark Assurance Program  (“Voila Verified”), set to launch next year.

“The pandemic has pushed digital adoption five years into the future. Without the proper infrastructure for digital ID and authentication in place, we’ve seen firsthand how Canadians have been left vulnerable and with limited access to essential services” said Eros Spodotto, Executive Vice-President, Technology Strategy and Business Transformation at TELUS. 

“Trust and security are the foundations of the digital economy. The key to unlocking a true digital experience comes from having a digital ID ecosystem that extends beyond any one sector.”
– Franklin Garrigues, VP Digital Channels at TD Bank, and DIACC Board Vice-Chair

From open banking to e-health, digital ID is a key enabler in unlocking the next frontier of our digital economy. Banks and telcos fortunately have been able to leverage existing digital ID services to support Canadians. “Digital identity verification has helped countless Canadians receive financial aid during the pandemic,” notes Andre Boysen, Chief Identity Officer at SecureKey, “but it’s not enough. Now, we need to leverage that momentum, and push out a solution for digital ID in all levels of society. The PCTF is that answer.”

“The PCTF launch marks an important milestone in Canada’s digital transformation initiatives,” exclaims Dave Nikolejsin, Board Chair at DIACC, “Canadians have had to deal with identity theft and fraud, high anxiety in accessing services that they were in dire need of while facing social distancing measures, and attempting to go about their lives as normally as possible. Digital ID minimizes all of those pain points, and elevates the livelihoods of Canadians everywhere.” Joni Brennan, President of DIACC, adds, “Our economy has also been heavily impacted by all this, and we know digital identity has the potential to add at least 3 percent of GDP, which is potentially almost $100 billion back into our Canadian economy. This is why we’ve accelerated the launch of the PCTF. The time for digital ID is now.”

“The Digital ID Laboratory of Canada is a proud partner of the DIACC, with a strong community that is ready to support the launch of the PCTF and ensure that together, we can accelerate the adoption of user-centric and interoperable digital ID solutions across the country.”
– Pierre Roberge, General Manager of the Digital ID Laboratory of Canada

Alpha testing of the PCTF will be carried out by over 20 Canadian public and private sector DIACC member organizations during the next two quarters with the purpose of operationalizing the framework as fast as possible. Organizations that have volunteered to take part in the alpha test seek to gain strategic and operational insights to become demonstrated leaders in digital identity. 

Learnings taken from the alpha testing will help DIACC identify what is needed to scale up a digital identity infrastructure across Canada, and help Canada secure international digital interoperability and accreditation by working with international and third party partners such as eIDAS and Kantara Initiative IAF. 

A Digital ID Trademark You Can Trust

The alpha testing will also inform the launch of the DIACC PCTF Voila Verified Trustmark Assurance Program (“Voila Verified”). The program is set to launch in fall 2021, and will issue a PCTF Voila Verified Trustmark to organizations who demonstrate compliance with PCTF components. Voila Verified will enable solutions and service providers to leverage the trustmark to elevate their market leadership and allow them to collaborate securely with assurance, providing their customers with the digital-first experience that they demand. 

“We’re pleased to work with the DIACC to help recognize the Voila Verified Program on an international scale. It is through secure global credentials that we can transform the state of digital identity, and progress the digital economy worldwide.”
– Colin Wallis, Executive Director of Kantara Initiative

Multijurisdictional Collaboration: Enabling Trusted Digital Inclusion for All

The launch of the PCTF comes at a time when having a strong digital economy is no longer a ‘nice-to have’; rather, it is imperative for Canadians. More than 70 per cent of Canadians want to see the government and private sector collaborate on a joint identity framework in Canada. “We’ve seen the benefits and advantages of digital ID for people in British Columbia during this pandemic,”, said CJ Ritchie, Associate Deputy Minister and Government Chief Information Officer for the Province of British Columbia, “From government to healthcare, commerce, and financial services, the entire provincial economy is being impacted by COVID-19. Having a robust digital identity/trust ecosystem allows all Canadians to do more online, in a safer, more secure and confident way.”

The PCTF was developed collaboratively between public and private sector stakeholders, with contributions from a broad array of individuals and organizations around the world. Over 3,400 public comments were provided over four years that helped progress the framework to its launch today. 

“The framework released today was created through an incredible collaboration involving hundreds of people who worked to contribute, comment, and lend their ideas,” noted Peter Watkins, Program Executive for the Pan-Canadian Digital ID at the Institute for Citizen-Centred Service, “we’re committed to continuing our multi-jurisdictional collaboration as we move into the next stages for this important work.”

About the PCTF & Voila Verified Program

Details on the PCTF may be found in this backgrounder.
Details on the Voila Verified Program may be found in this backgrounder.

Progressing the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF)

Since 2016, the Digital ID & Authentication Council of Canada’s (DIACC) Trust Framework Expert Committee (TFEC) has been developing the Pan-Canadian Trust FrameworkTM (PCTF). It is one framework with many partners, and we thank all of those involved for their contribution in this momentous achievement.  

Four years and 41 review and comment periods later, this engaging infographic highlights how the framework has progressed over the years to the launch of the PCTF MVP in September 2020.

Download the infographic: Progressing the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF).

Spotlight on Celero

1. What is the mission and vision of Celero?

Our vision is to be a leading provider of technology solutions to the financial industry that…

  • Others aspire to be
  • People want to work for
  • Clients know they can rely upon.

Celero is realizing this vision is by delivering a digital technology, integration and payments ecosystem to credit unions and financial institutions across Canada. This is accomplished through an innovative mindset, commitment to delivery, strong external partnerships and an unrelenting focus on reliability and security.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

As a provider of technology solutions to credit unions, we recognize the growing expectation our clients face from their members who demand convenience, innovation and robust security in every financial experience.

Digital identity is the mechanism to enable our clients to secure their members’ trust as they serve them in an increasingly digital world. Beyond that, digital identity can be an enabling force for Canadians who are unbanked or underbanked. We believe in supporting the financial health of our customers’ customers and recognize that authentication of identity is a means for a more financially inclusive Canada.

Overall, Celero recognizes we have a critical role to play in enabling our clients to build trusted and lasting relationships with their current and future members through a trusted digital identity framework.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does Celero address challenges associated with this transformation?

To protect consumers, organizations put safety measures in place that can also cause constraints on convenience. This has been an ongoing challenge for financial institutions, and today’s ‘on-demand’ culture has served to spotlight these issues.

A trusted digital identity framework for Canada will provide a backbone of security in convenient transactions – removing barriers, streamlining service delivery, and strengthening national and global economies.

Celero can help shape the framework with a  credit union perspective and can seek out the potential use cases and applications that can benefit our clients and their members and contribute to the DIACC’s goals through our expertise in financial technology and cyber security.

For instance, the Celero Xchange™ digital integration ecosystem platform enables financial institutions to seamlessly connect their secure platforms, such as their core banking system, to fintech applications – without the complexity of managing different standards for sharing data between products and partners.

Authenticating and authorizing a credit union member without compromising the security while maintaining a seamless member user experience is a key component of our platform and value proposition.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in the space?

Canada has a growing fintech industry that is constantly seeking new ways to address digital innovation challenges and better serve consumers. The industry is becoming internationally recognized, and that expertise can serve Canada well in shaping a world-class digital identity framework that sets the standard for other countries to follow.

5. Why did Celero Solutions join the DIACC?

Our goal in joining the DIACC is to participate in driving forward solutions for digital identity trust in Canada, while obtaining new insights to apply with our clients in offering their members security, flexibility and convenience in a digital first society.

Spotlight on Vlinder

1. What’s your organization’s mission and vision?

Based in the United States and India, Vlinder’s vision is to enable an inclusive and sustainable ecosystem, with trust as the underpinning foundation.

Vlinder platforms are built harnessing new-gen technologies including blockchain, IoT and artificial intelligence to foster inclusion and sustainability within the ecosystem. 

Vlinder platform offerings are focused on helping private and public enterprises working towards the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

2. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy?

Globally, there are 1 billion people without proper identification, which equates to roughly one seventh of the world’s population. This population typically includes low income and vulnerable groups including women and girls, migrants, refugees, individuals with disabilities, and indigenous populations.

Not having access to proper ID restricts these vulnerable populations in obtaining basic essential services such as health, education, and financial services. 

ID is a foundational element that is a direct and indirect enabler of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including:

  • Access to finance
  • Gender equality and empowerment
  • Access to basic health and education
  • Child protection
  • Social protection
  • Labour Markets

Building an inclusive sustainable ecosystem will not only better the lives of vulnerable populations, but will also help improve the global economy as more people will be contributing. 

3. How does your organization address the needs of this transformation?

Vlinder has built a decentralized ID platform, Klefki, which enables citizens to:

  • Own their identity.
  • Accept credentials from issuers and store them securely in mobile wallets.
  • Share credentials with verifiers using consent on demand.
  • Disclose selective details of credentials, as opposed to sensitive data.

Enables issuers to:

  • Issue credentials directly to the users wallet.
  • View all the credentials issued.

Enables verifiers to:

  • Verify credentials with citizens directly.

Our platform is being piloted in various countries, and is focused on bringing trust and inclusion to the broader population, while enabling the existing system to be more efficient. 

4. What role does Canada have as a leader in the space?

All countries have a role to play in accelerating progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Canada is a leader in technology and with a progressive mindset is well positioned not only to transform the ID (and peripheral) ecosystem within the country, but to bring change and transformation to the world. 

Any transformation led by Canada will be seen by the world and developing economies as a reference model for adoption. 

5. Why did your organization join DIACC and what else should we know about your organization?

Vlinder joined DIACC to participate and contribute to an important initiative, which is not only transformational for the Canadian population, but to the rest of the world. 

Spotlight on Mavennet

1. What is the mission and vision of Mavennet?

Mavennet’s vision is to build a new world of trust. 

We strive to empower large enterprises with better and more effective ways to securely share information and value. We build on technologies such as blockchain and AI to help transform entire industries. Our focus extends to several industries: financial services, supply chain, energy, the public sector and media and entertainment. Our business focuses on challenging the status quo of industries that are in need for disruption, either internally or externally.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

Identity is at the foundation of any sharing of value or information. 

Traditional identity management systems are vulnerable to single points of failure, they raise privacy issues for the data they carry and limit the possibility of secure interoperability. In industries with business processes that rely on complex workflows or transactions amongst multiple stakeholders, the need for trustworthy digital identity becomes paramount.

At Mavennet, we are implementing decentralized identifiers to our suite of supply chain products to be able to associate a robust digital identity to actors and assets along a network. In conjunction with verifiable credentials (VCs) we enable cryptographically sound and privacy preserving claims that provide transparency and traceability to value chain participants. Ultimately, this trusted digital history of physical assets enables industries to have reliable provenance of goods and attribute actions to stakeholders. This addresses the most pressing pain points of global supply chains: traceability, auditability, flexibility and stakeholder management. 

Unlocking trustworthy digital identity in a way that is easy to implement in existing enterprise environments and can be readily adopted by multiple industries is crucial. It opens new pathways to emerging markets that are vulnerable to lack of trust amongst participants. 

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does Mavennet address challenges associated with this transformation?

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the lack of responsiveness and flexibility of global supply chains, as evidenced by the spike in closures of manufacturing facilities and the unmet demand for basic commodities. An added concern for international trade is the rise in counterfeiting, which exceeds $900 billion USD annually. These threats to the security and stability of global supply chains can be in part offset by the adoption of digital identities. Their power to unlock fast, secure and trustworthy exchanges, can significantly improve the operational and business process efficiency of industries as a whole. This overhaul of internal traditional processes translates into more globally competitive businesses and positions Canada as an incrementally valuable trading partner.

Mavennet has been deeply involved in the space of decentralized identities and VCs through the deployment of an energy traceability platform that provides end-to-end visibility of assets. This solution, called Neoflow, has laid out new standards for exchange of data in the form of VCs between supply chain stakeholders by identifying them with a unique decentralized identifier. Our goal is to aid the transformation towards digital identities by providing a set of standards and APIs that enable seamless integration with other vendors with the same vision and legacy systems.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in the space?

Canada is particularly well poised to act as a leader in this space, given its strong international voice relative to its size.

Canada has a unique opportunity to drive the standards for adoption at an international level, due to its position as a global emerging innovation ecosystem and technology hub. Further, as a top global exporter of crude oil, gold, wheat, aluminum and others, Canada plays a key role in the way that international trade is conducted. The country has the international relevance to coordinate and propagate digital identity initiatives.

5. Why did Mavennet join the DIACC?

Defining identity standards collaboratively is an essential step when you are looking at transforming entire industries. Up to now we have been doing work with decentralized identity and VCs standards applied to the industries we focus on. We hope to leverage our experience and vision to contribute to the work DIACC does and help raise the water level for Canadian technology as a whole.

6. What else should we know about Mavennet?

We are currently working on exciting solutions for governments and multinational companies in Canada, US and Europe. The core IP of these solutions involves identity management, asset traceability, digital assets, analytics and artificial intelligence. Some of these are:

  • Neoflow – provides end-to-end digital traceability for energy. In particular we are working with the United States Department of Homeland Security  to help with traceability in the oil and gas sector. Multiparty, real-time, immutable data and insights gathered by Neoflow allows governments and key stakeholders to make data-backed decisions on supply/demand, regulation policies and tariffs.  
  • MetalTrail – traces the steel value chain, including materials’ dependencies, to certify the true origin, quality and environmental footprint of steel products.  
  • QCAD – is the first fully-regulated Canadian Dollar Stablecoin. This product was created through Stablecorp, a joint venture between 3iQ and Mavennet.  
  • MavenStamp – seamlessly provides “immutability as a service” through an API. It enables non-technical users to timestamp data on the blockchain and obtain  evidence of its existence. 

Earlier this year Mavennet launched an EU sponsored multinational blockchain research project funded at $12 million CAD. Mavennet leads the consortium as the technical lead. In this way, we are excited to continue contributing to the digital identity space and to be in such a privileged company with the DIACC. 

2021 Pre-Budget Submission

DIACC’s Written Submission for the Pre-Budget Consultations in Advance of the 2021 Budget

Ahead of the 2021 federal budget, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance has asked Canadians to share their input. 

DIACC is pleased to have submitted a brief, calling on the Federal Government to implement the following recommendations: 

  1. Secure adoption of the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework by businesses and governments to ensure Canadians are well-protected and supported post-pandemic.
  2. Work with provincial and territorial partners along with Citizenship and Immigration Canada to ensure that all Canadians have access to an ISO compliant government-issued digital ID credential with economy-wide utility by December 31, 2021.
  3. Have digital identity and authentication efforts co-led by the Minister of Digital Government and the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry to ensure that both government service delivery and economic prosperity requirements are met.
  4. Prioritize the funding and integration of digital ID as part of the Digital Technology Supercluster Initiative. 
  5. Champion and educate on the crucial role of digital identity for businesses, health care centres, academic institutions, civil society, and all Canadians.

Read DIACC’s full Pre-Budget Consultation Submission below or download directly.

Request for Comment and IPR Review: PCTF Assessment and Infrastructure (Technology & Operations) Draft Recommendations V1.0

Notice of Intent: DIACC is collaborating to develop and publish an Assessment and Infrastructure (Technology & Operations) industry standards as components of the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework™ (PCTF) to set a baseline of public and private sector interoperability of identity services and solutions.

To learn more about the Pan-Canadian vision and benefits-for-all value proposition please review the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework Overview.

Document Status: These review documents have been approved as Draft Recommendations V1.0 by the DIACC’s Trust Framework Expert Committee (TFEC) that operates under the DIACC controlling policies.

Summary: 

The intent of the PCTF Assessment component is to establish the certification scheme to verify that a process, service, or product conforms with criteria defined in the PCTF.

The intent of the PCTF Infrastructure (Technology & Operations) component is to identify the operational policies, plans, technology and technology operations requirements to support implementation of the principles of the PCTF Profiles in the context of a Digital Identity Ecosystem.

Invitation: All interested parties are invited to comment.

Period: Opens: July 20, 2020 at 23:59 PST | Closes: August 20, 2020 at 23:59 PST

Document: Assessment Draft Recommendation V1.0

When reviewing this draft, consider the following and note that responses to these questions are non-binding and serve to improve the PCTF.

  1. Is the description of roles and responsibilities clear at this level?
  2. This draft describes a tiered assessment process with varying levels of evidence examination applied depending on risk and usage profile of the service being examined for certification
    • Are the two processes defined enough? If not, what would be the nature of any additional discrete process? What would it apply to? Would its addition change the nature of either of the two processes defined?
    • If the two process versions defined are sufficient, do the differences between them meet the goals of application of a less onerous certification process to some applications for certification? If not, then what would you suggest as an alternative?
    • Keeping in mind the noting of potential adjustment based on the output of the TFEC Working group on LoA, are the criteria for determining which certification process applies acceptable in principle?
    • A draft definition of classification based on service usage is included. Does this meet the needs of this Profile at this level? If not, what alternative would you suggest?
  3. Are there concepts or terminology that remain unclear or inconsistently applied?
  4. This Overview is meant to define the high level model and process for certification. Development of the significant Programme execution supporting information has been deferred until the model at this level is ratified. Are there any significant omissions from this high level Overview that would preclude you from understanding the model at this level?
  5. Do you agree with the process for certification of Services as described? If not, what specific modifications would you suggest?
  6. Do you agree with the process for certification of Accredited Assessors as described? If not, what specific modifications would you suggest?
  7. The last section of the document identifies a number of required documents to support this certification process. The intent is to capture detailed process-oriented content in these documents after the Certification Assessment Program has been approved in principle. With this in mind, and considering the level of detail appropriate for this document, are there any major elements of the certification program not yet addressed in this draft?

NOTE that elements of examination for certification may be adjusted based on the finalization of the Working group on LoA, please keep this in mind when commenting on this document.

Documents: Infrastructure (Technology & Operations) Draft Recommendations V1.0

When reviewing this draft, consider the following and note that responses to these questions are non-binding and serve to improve the PCTF.

  1. Several feedback items suggest that additional prescriptive detail be added to this Conformance Profile. Some adjustments were made but additional input is sought to identify areas where further detail should be included. Where specific methods or standards are to be expanded upon, please include suggested methods, tools, or plan/policy items that you feel should be added. 
  2. The Conformance Criteria are organized into three categories. Are these appropriate and understandable? If not, please suggest an alternate categorization scheme.
  3. Care was taken to try to strike a balance between generic Criteria defined at a high level and being too prescriptive. Do the criteria meet this objective of being prescriptive enough to be useful and generic enough to be applicable to most Digital Identity Ecosystem instances?
  4. Note that there are several instances where cross references to related information in other Profiles. Are there other instances where this would be appropriate?
  5. Are there significant requirements missing from this draft? If so, please identify the requirements you believe should be included.
  6. Care was taken not to identify a specific technology or technology protocol, believing that none applied as a requirement in every instance. Is this correct, or is there a specific technology or protocol that should be included as a PCTF requirement?

NOTE that the PCTF Working Group on LoA is underway with the objective of defining how LoA will be treated across all PCTF Profiles. Treatment of potential variances in Conformance Criteria based on Service LoA were deferred in this version of the Profile. Please reserve your comments in this area to an enhanced draft of these documents when the LoA Working Group has published their results.

Intellectual Property Rights: Comments must be received within the 30-day comment period noted above. All comments are subject to the DIACC contributor agreement; by submitting a comment you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions therein. DIACC Members are also subject to the Intellectual Property Rights Policy. Any notice of an intent not to license under either the Contributor Agreement and/or the Intellectual Property Rights Policy with respect to the review documents or any comments must be made at the Contributor’s and/or Member’s earliest opportunity, and in any event, within the 30-day comment period. IPR claims may be sent to review@diacc.ca. Please include “IPR Claim” as the subject.

Process:

  • All comments are subject to the DIACC contributor agreement.
  • Submit comments using the provided DIACC Comment Submission Spreadsheet.
  • Reference the draft and corresponding line number for each comment submitted.
  • Email completed DIACC Comment Submission Spreadsheet to review@diacc.ca.
  • Questions may be sent to review@diacc.ca.

Value to Canadians: The PCTF Assessment and Infrastructure (Technology & Operations) components will provide value to all Canadians, businesses, and governments by setting a baseline of auditable criteria to assess business, legal, and technical interoperability. The DIACC’s mandate is to collaboratively develop and deliver resources to help Canadian’s to digitally transact with security, privacy, and convenience. The PCTF is one such resource that represents a collection of industry standards, best practices, and other resources that help to establish interoperability of an ecosystem of identity services and solutions. The DIACC is a not-for-profit coalition of members from the public and private sector who are making a significant and sustained investment in accelerating Canada’s Identity Ecosystem.

Context: The purpose of this Draft Recommendation review is to ensure transparency in the development and diversity of a truly Pan-Canadian, and international, input. In alignment with our Principles for an Identity Ecosystem, processes to respect and enhance privacy are being prioritized through every step of the PCTF development process.

DIACC expects to modify and improve these Draft Recommendations based upon public comments. Comments made during the review will be considered for incorporation into the next drafts and DIACC will prepare a Disposition of Comments to provide transparency with regard to how each comment was handled.  

Thank you for your support and participation in this review period.

New Partnership to Advance Digital Identity in Quebec & Across Canada

TORONTO, MONTRÉAL July 16, 2020 – The Digital ID & Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC) and TechnoMontréal, the Technology Cluster of Greater Montréal, are pleased to announce a new partnership to propel collaboration to accelerate the adoption and development of digital identity.

The two organizations are coming together to identify projects and cross-sector connections to bring together Canada’s foremost leaders in industry and digital identity to increase the development of digital identity, data privacy and security innovation.

“This collaboration will accelerate the development of the digital identity, as well as the expansion of Québec and Canadian knowledge and expertise”

François Borrelli, President & Director of TechnoMontréal

The partnership between the two community-oriented organizations will support innovative Québecois, Canadian, and international organizations to facilitate an exchange of knowledge and expertise.

“We are pleased to be able to play an active role in the development of digital identity by catalyzing the Québec ecosystem and creating local and international partnerships,” said François Borrelli, President & Director of TechnoMontréal.

The initiative will expedite technical innovation and integration of digital identity solutions across sectors. “This collaboration will facilitate the mobilization of ecosystem players, to propel the development of digital identity across Canada and Québec,” added Borrelli.

The joint initiative will focus on strategic projects to advance digital identity, drive innovation, and ensure as many Canadians as possible can realize the benefits of a secure digital identity framework.

Projects will explore key opportunity areas for cross-pollination and technical advancements, including Smart Health and Smart Building Experiences. A Smart Municipality Digital Identity Roadmap with the City of Montréal will also be undertaken in support of TechnoMontréal’s smart city challenges win.

“TechnoMontréal shares our goal to bring together leading Canadian teams and technologies to create more innovative and effective solutions,” noted DIACC President, Joni Brennan. “We are excited to work together to deepen our connections with Québec and collectively build a digital identity ecosystem that offers the world a model to emulate.”

DIACC and TechnoMontréal share common values and are excited to forge new connections and partner on digital solutions across Canada and around the world.

With benefits to be realized at home and abroad, the strategic partnership will enhance the rate of adoption and advance technical solutions for Canadians. “This collaboration will accelerate the development of the digital identity, as well as the expansion of Québec and Canadian knowledge and expertise,” said Borrelli.

About the Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC)

The DIACC is a non-profit coalition of public and private sector leaders committed to developing a Canadian digital identification and authentication framework to enable Canada’s full and secure participation in the global digital economy. The DIACC was created as a result of the federal government’s Task Force for the Payments System Review and members include representatives from both the federal and provincial levels of government as well as private sector leaders.

About TechnoMONTRÉAL (https://technomontreal.com/)

TechnoMontréal, the Technology Cluster of Greater Montréal, unites technology industry players around growth-generating projects led by the industry. Established in 2007, TechnoMontréal is a non-profit organization that plays a major role in Montréal’s economic and social vitality by rallying the private, institutional, and public technology sectors around common goals and coordinated actions. TechnoMontréal’s vision is to enrich the business climate and encourage innovation by building bridges between the various actors in the industry. To this end, TechnoMontréal is implementing an approach that develops technologies through vertical markets, in partnership with the city’s leaders and clients.

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